Just one foot in front of the other...

Desiree Williams,MA,Ed.S,RMHCI

Welcome

Are you feeling like you're at the end of your rope? Have you tried everything but nothing seems to work? If you answered yes, then I want you to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. You've already taken the first step in the right direction. My 7 years of experience has helped me develop specific skills to address individual and couple needs. I provide a warm, structured, therapeutic environment creating a "safe space" for my clients to authentically be themselves while addressing their challenges. I'd like the opportunity to become apart of your journey towards personal growth, and becoming a better you starting TODAY!


Let's Meet

Desiree is the founder and owner of Light at the End Therapy Services. As a mental health therapist in the state of Florida, she specializes in working with adults, children, and teens struggling with anxiety and stress management. Desiree also sees individuals who struggle with self-esteem, relationship, and family issues. Her style of counseling is a kind and direct manner with compassion in a culturally sensitive context. Desiree is also a certified School Counselor. Her professional experience is enhanced by her past work as an educator in St. Lucie County, and dependency case manager for The Department of Children and Families. Desiree graduated with honors from Webster University with a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Human Services from Indian River State College in Ft. Pierce FL. She returned to graduate school to receive her Education Specialist Degree in School Counseling from Florida Atlantic University graduating with honors. Desiree was born and raised in Florida and enjoys the sunshine state, even during those hot summer days!

To speak with Desiree email her at: lightattheendinc.therapy@gmail.com or call (772) 282-3617.
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Services Provided

We work with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues providing services that span from therapy for grief counseling to parenting support, marriage counseling and blended family counseling.  In an accepting and supportive atmosphere, we offer a personalized approach tailored to your individual needs to help attain your desired level of personal growth such as individual, couple, and family counseling.

Treatment Specialization Include:
ADHD
Anger Management
Anxiety
Autism
Behavioral Issues
Career Counseling
Child
Codependency
Coping Skills
Depression
Developmental Disorders
Family Conflict
Grief
Intellectual Disability
Life Coaching
Life Transitions
Marital and Premarital
Medication Management
Narcissistic Personality (NPD)
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Oppositional Defiance (ODD)
Parenting
Peer Relationships
Relationship Issues
School Issues
Self Esteem
Self-Harming
Stress
Trauma and PTSD

Teletherapy

Is Teletherapy for me?

Teletherapy might seem less appealing than in person at first glance because it can seem less personable in a situation that is very personal. You might be concerned about doing couples therapy or family therapy; however, it can be as effective an experience as in person with the right therapist. Since the Covid-19 expanded its reach across the world, teletherapy has quickly become the go to method for nearly all therapists. Some have been doing telehealth for years; exclusively or as an alternative when clients travel. Some have just begun using it and may require some time to adjust. If you have found a therapist you feel comfortable speaking to about your struggles, I encourage you to try telehealth. There are many secure video platforms available, at Light at the End Therapy, we are using Zoom meet. Below are 5 reasons telehealth could be right for you!
  1. No traffic concerns
  2. More session times available from your therapist
  3. You can more easily share your world with the therapist
  4. Access to therapist outside your local area
  5. No travel time to or from the appointment
I hope you will consider using telehealth for your current and future therapy needs. Many forms of therapy are adaptable to telehealth. Ask your mental health provider if this is an option for you!

- Desiree Williams

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General Information

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Appointment times available:

Monday-Thursday 3:00PM to 9:00PM

******All appointments are available by Telehealth only******

Please call 772-282-3617 to schedule an appointment.

******Accepted forms of payment: Zelle, CashApp, credit/debit card ******
Credit cards accepted are:
Visa
Master Card
Discover
AMEX
HSA 

Rates

See what people are saying about Light at the End therapists.

Full rate info is listed below.

What people say about Desiree Williams, MA, Ed.S, RMHCI :

" When I first saw Desiree I thought, 'how is this soft spoken young lady  going to help me?' I was pleasantly surprised at how genuine she was and her level of insight. She helped me see that it was alright to feel how I felt and I will never forget it." Adult female, Individual counseling

"I never felt like I was ever going to understand what was going on with me until I met Ms. Desiree. She helped me overcome my challenges." Teen Male, Individual therapy

"My husband and I both felt supported and understood by Desiree and she helped us to do that for each other." Adult Female, Couples therapy

"I know Desiree really cares about me and my success. I feel like I finally have a voice" Teen female, Individual therapy

"I like that Ms. Desiree listens to me." young child, Family counseling


Rates:

For Individual, Couple, or Family counseling: $135 per 50-minute sessions with Desiree Williams, MA, Ed.S, RMHCI

Discounted packages are available when paid in full - 10% for 10 sessions, 15% for 20 sessions and 20% for the purchase of all recommended sessions.

For intensive sessions: $500 for each 3 hour block of time. Must be scheduled in advance with partial payment of $250. Discounted packages cannot be used for intensive sessions.

Insurance

Before deciding on insurance read the information on the insurance page . Services may be covered in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Check your coverage carefully by asking the following questions:

  • Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
  • What is my deductible and has it been met?
  • How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
  • What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
  • Is approval required from my primary care physician?
Insurance is handled through out of network benefits. Full session payment is due at each session and a Superbill is provided each month, at your request, for you to submit to your insurance in order to be reimbursed according to your insurance policy benefits.

Cancellation Policy

If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy appointment or you have not notified us at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the session.

Payment

Cash, check and all major credit cards accepted for payment. Payment plans are also offered. (Call for additional payment plan options)

Contact

Questions? You can contact us for further information by calling (772) 282-3617

Schedule your FREE 15 minute session TODAY!




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Appointment Request

Peaceful Parenting

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Parenting is one of the toughest jobs and we don’t get paid for it… in money. I’m sure you can think of comments that your children have made that caused you to feel elated. Unfortunately those are not the only comments they make. The following will help you in coping with the latter.What is a parent’s job? In its basic form, a parent’s job is to teach their child how to function as a member of society. In addition a parent may decide to teach values that are personally important, such as religious or cultural traditions.

From a psychological perspective the most important thing a child learns from their parent is that they are loved. As human beings we learn that we matter by being loved. You show love by caring for your children’s needs (food, shelter, clothing, safety, and attention). Needs are different from wants and sometimes kids have a hard time differentiating between the two. It is important for parents to help children learn the difference between needs and wants so that they will be able to take care of themselves in the future.

In order to teach children how to function most effectively in society is important to be calm, clear, and consistent. If you think back on a boss you had whom you liked, he or she probably had these qualities. All people perform best when they know what is expected. Children and adolescents are no different. They behave best when the expectations and consequences are clearly known ahead of time.

Although it may be difficult to maintain a calm demeanor when your child has misbehaved, you will be able to get through to them more easily if you speak in a calm manner without yelling. If you think that you will not be able to do this it’s a good idea to take what I call a “parent timeout”. Letting your children know that you’re going to think about what you want to do is the first step. Next, you take a period of time, whether it’s five minutes or a day, to think about why you are truly upset and how you want to handle the situation. When you are calm you are also more likely to be able to listen to what your children have to say and possibly incorporate that into your decision.

Being clear is important because when you are clear there is less confusion about what is expected. When you have an expectation for your child’s behavior it is important to tell them all of the things you are expecting from them, as well as what will happen if they don’t meet your expectations. For example, when you are taking your toddler to the library it is important to set them up for success by reminding them of the rules for behavior in the library as well as the consequences if they break the rules. Asking your toddler to repeat the rules to you is a good way to test them on learning the rules. If they don’t remember the rules it is important not to give them a hard time about this but simply to fill in the blanks for them. It is also important with the toddler not to have too many rules because they won’t be able to remember them all. Basic rules such as walking only, inside voices only, stay near the adult you came with are good rules to start with. An example with a teen is, when you have given permission for the teen to go see a movie with a friend you describe exactly what you’re expectation is about how the outing will play out, including: who drives, where they will be, whether they will go anywhere else, what time the movie ends, who they will be with, what time they are expected home and what you expect them to do if the plans change. Give the teen an idea about what will happen if expectations are not met.

You may think that you have tried everything to improve your child’s behavior and nothing works. However, upon further thought you might realize that you lacked consistency. Consistency is one of the most difficult aspects of parenting as well as one of the most important. When you threaten your child with a consequence but don’t follow through or allow your child to negotiate a consequence they have the power. The lesson learned is that there is no meaningful consequence. What is meant by meaningful consequence? A meaningful consequence is one that has meaning to the receiver.

For example, if you know that your child is looking forward to an outing with a friend this weekend and they have failed to do their homework for the last three days, a meaningful consequence would be to tell them they are not allowed to go on the outing with the friend. This is something that they will remember the next time they are considering not meeting your expectations. Age is nearly irrelevant in teaching or training behavior. The individual child matters much more. Each child has certain qualities that you can utilize to ensure that they follow your rules and values. Watching them, asking them, and listening to them will enable you to realize what to use as a consequence so that it will be meaningful.

When deciding how much to take or how long to take it don’t give all your power away in one fell swoop. Consider the fact that they may break the rules again, as well as the child’s age. Very young children 3 to 5 years old are not yet able to intellectually relate being “grounded” with behavior from the previous day or week. For them it is better to take away something immediately, utilize timeout (one minute per year of age), or take away a toy, an activity or your attention. It is extremely important that you not confuse yourself by being overly emotional when delivering a consequence. When you are angry you may give more consequence than what you intended. As children get older they are able to link the consequence with the behavior. This skill is not as tied to chronological age as you might think. Some children at six are better able to think this way than a child of eight.

Consider your child’s specific temperament, intellectual, and emotional abilities when considering a consequence. When it comes to teens, the thought often follows that there should be more freedom and less instruction. It would be better to have more discussion and allow teens to be a part of the decision process so they can learn how to make an appropriate decision, seeing the situation from all angles. They will have the rest of their lives to make decisions on their own. This is the time to teach them by allowing them to have input. This does not mean that you would do what they want, but that you listen to what they have to say and explain in detail how and why you came to your decision. They may not always like your decision but they will not be able to say you didn’t listen.
Although there is no foolproof parenting method being calm clear and consistent will help you parent more peacefully.

If you are interested in family or parenting counseling contact Light at the End, LLC therapy services at (772) 282-3617 or the website: lightattheendtherapy.com 

No Surprises Act 2022

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Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Billing

When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or “balance billing”.

NOTE: Light at the End, LLC therapy services does not provide emergency services and only provides outpatient mental health care.

What is “balance billing” (or “surprise billing”)

When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out of pocket costs, such as copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a healthcare facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

NOTE: Light at the End, LLC therapy services requires payment prior to services being rendered and does not bill after an appointment unless payment was not received or was revoked by you for any reason.

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your out-of-pocket limit.

NOTE: Light at the End, LLC therapy services is out of network with all insurance. Full payment is expected prior to services rendered.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care; like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.

NOTE: Light at the End, LLC therapy services requires payment prior to services being rendered and does not bill after an appointment unless payment was not received or was revoked by you for any reason. You have complete control over the choice to utilize Light at the End, LLC therapy services.

You are protected from balance billing for:

EMERGENCY SERVICES. If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You cannot be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you are in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up protections not to be balance billed for these post-stabilization services.

Florida State laws about balance billing restrict balance billing and require coverage by your insurance in a similar manner and the new Federal law expands those protections. More information can be located by researching Florida Statute 627.64194.

CERTAIN SERVICES AT AN IN-NETWORK HOSPITAL OR AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTER When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.

If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you, unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

You’re never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get out-of-network care. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.

NOTE: Light at the End, LLC therapy services only provides outpatient nonemergency mental health therapy services and is out-of-network with all insurance providers.

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:

You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly for emergency services.

NOTE: When you choose Light at the End, LLC therapy for your mental health services you are choosing not to use any in-network coverage and accepting the full rate for services chosen. All fees are explained and collected prior to services being rendered.

Your health plan generally must:

Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization.)

Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.

Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.

Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket costs.

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact Contact the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation at 850.413.3140, or visit the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for more information about your rights under state laws.

Visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/no-surprises-act for more information about your rights under federal law.

Visit http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.64194.html for more information about your rights under Florida State law.

Insurance information

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Reasons why you should carefully consider using your insurance for Mental Health Services


An important part of your treatment is “informed consent.” In order for you to make an informed choice I have created this disclosure statement for your review. If you are a member of an insurance policy that provides reimbursement for mental health counseling, please read the following before making your choice regarding those benefits.

Reason #1: Lack of Confidentiality.

All insurance plans involve direct clinical management by the plan’s case managers. If you access therapy through your insurance company, it makes it necessary for your therapist to disclose anything and everything related to your case to your insurance company.
This information is used by the insurance company for determining benefits, which they allocate at their own discretion. This impacts your right of confidentiality, and it is possible that your information will be stored in a computer system which could be accessed by others.

Reason #2: Difficulty getting treatment authorized.

Due to the direct care managed by insurance companies and their desire to keep costs to a minimum, getting therapy sessions authorized often becomes cumbersome and time consuming. Every plan has different requirements and standards for authorizations. Usually they require many hours a week of paperwork and phone calls by the therapist in order to get authorizations. Some will deny therapy in lieu of taking prescription medications.
Furthermore, some insurance companies want to control the treatment plan. Some will even dictate the specific treatment plan, which is often very subjective and may even be anti-therapeutic. Some plans will determine when it is time to terminate treatment, even when the client continues to be in distress, or their problem has not been sufficiently solved.

Reason #3: Misdiagnosing and/or over-diagnosing in order to get treatment authorized.

Some insurance companies will not cover treatment unless it is a “medical necessity.” This may mean the client has to “pretend” they are “sick” or worse off than they are, in order to receive their benefits. Most insurance companies do not cover marriage counseling, family counseling, self-improvement or adjustment to common life stressors unless they are part of the treatment plan for a serious mental disorder or drug/alcohol problem.

This situation puts both the therapist and client in a negative situation. The therapist may be inclined to “make up” or “guess at” a diagnosis, which is not in the best interest of the client. Most importantly, you should not be given a mental illness diagnosis that is not correct simply to get treatment paid by the insurance company.

By choosing to pay for your therapy sessions out of pocket, I can promise:

Your confidentiality is assured.
Your individual treatment plan is determined only by what is beneficial and needed for you to achieve the results you seek.
There are no “labels” to follow you all of your life.
We can begin your road to health, happiness & well being immediately.
I look forward to being of service to you!

Privacy Policy

Confidentiality & Privacy Policy

The law protects the relationship between a client and a therapist, information cannot be disclosed without written permission.

Exceptions include:

  • Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse, for which mental health professionals are required by law to report to the appropriate authorities immediately.
  • If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s, mental health professionals must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
  • If a client intends to harm himself or herself, the therapist will make every effort to enlist the client's cooperation in ensuring their safety. If the client does not cooperate, the therapist will take further measures without the client's permission, that are provided by law, in order to ensure the client's safety.
  • If there is a court order to give information for a legal proceeding.
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F.A.Q's

Do I really need therapy?

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you’ve faced, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you’re at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy.

How long will I be in therapy?

The answer depends a lot on you. Some people take a few weeks to warm up to the therapist and be able to talk about the issue that brought them to therapy to begin with, while others begin talking from the first session. By talking with your therapist openly and honestly you enable the process to move along more quickly. However, most people come to therapy after suffering for several years. It makes sense that behaviors that have been going on for a while are going to take some time to change.  However, you should leave the first appointment with some hope that things will begin to get better through therapy. At Light at the End, LLC therapy, we provide a written and individualized plan of care at the second session which describes the problem, goals for treatment and an approximation of how many sessions it will take to meet the goals.

How do I choose a therapist?

Choosing a therapist can be daunting. It is most important to find someone you trust and are comfortable talking with about the things that are causing you distress. It is helpful to think about if you are more comfortable with a certain type of person (gender, religion, age, etc). Researching therapists to discover if they have experience or specialize in the issues you are seeking helps to ensure a more successful outcome.

What can I expect at the first session?

Usually there is intake paperwork to complete in order to give the therapist general information about you. If you are not able to complete the paperwork before the session, it is recommended that you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the appointment in order to have it completed prior to the time with the therapist. The first session is usually a time to get a good background and description of the problem you are wanting to work on. It is also a good opportunity for you to ask questions of the therapist about experience and discover if the counselor is right for you.

Resources

If you feel you or someone you know may harm themselves or someone else please call:

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Toll-free number 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) 

The Online Lifeline Crisis Chat is free and confidential.
You’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor in your area.

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Contact

  • Ft. Pierce, Florida, United States
  • Fort Pierce, FL, 34947

Appointments may vary due to availability.